ITALIANS DOMINATE SNIM

SNIM 2005 was a classic with great winds, brilliant sunshine, 64 entries and some truly outstanding racing. A total of 12 races were sailed with 10 to count. The overall leader board changed with every race but it was the Italian's who dominated taking the top five places overall. The regatta went to 2002 Melges 24 World Champion Flavio Favini, helming for Switzerland's Franco Rossini aboard Blu Moon.

Massimo Bernasconi's new Banca BSI team, helmed by Gabriele Benussi with tactician Andrea Felci and a crew that includes Camilla Bert, part of the 2003 M24 European Championship crew. This team only came to the Melges 24 class last year and already have taken fifth place in Monaco and third at the Alassio Volvo Cup event.

In third place was the Ale Ali team of Ezio Amadori, followed by Ricardo Simoneschi's Nautica and the 2003 Melges 24 World Championship winning Joe Fly team of Giovanni Maspero.

For daily reports and full results visit the IMCA News Archive. There are also two great online photo galleries from SNIM available. The first is from the official SNIM photographer Gilles Martin Raget and the second is from the legendary Carlo Borlenghi. Check them both out for some great Melges sailing shots.